Homemade Greek Yogurt

Name: Homemade Greek Yogurt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 quarts (1900 ml) whole milk, pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), cold from the fridge; 3 tablespoons (45 g) plain yogurt with live and active cultures, plain, unsweetened, no added thickeners, at room temperature; 1 piece (10 g) cheesecloth, doubled, about 20 × 20 inches (50 × 50 cm), rinsed with hot water and wrung out

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thick, tangy, creamy Greek yogurt made from just whole milk and a spoonful of live-culture yogurt. Heat, cool, culture, then strain through cheesecloth to the thickness you like.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 hr 35 min
Total: 16 hr 25 min
Makes: About 3 cups (700 g) strained yogurt, 6 servings of ½ cup

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 quarts (1900 ml) whole milk, pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), cold from the fridge
3 tablespoons (45 g) plain yogurt with live and active cultures, plain, unsweetened, no added thickeners, at room temperature
1 piece (10 g) cheesecloth, doubled, about 20 × 20 inches (50 × 50 cm), rinsed with hot water and wrung out

Equipment (9)

4-quart (3.8 L) heavy-bottomed pot with lid
Instant-read or candy thermometer
Whisk and silicone spatula
Small bowl for tempering the starter
2-quart (2 L) glass jar or lidded container, or two 1-quart (1 L) jars
Large fine-mesh sieve or colander
Large bowl that holds the sieve above the bottom
Cheesecloth, 2 layers of about 20 × 20 inches (50 × 50 cm), or a clean nut milk bag
Insulated cooler big enough to hold the jar, plus a towel, for keeping the yogurt warm

Steps

Before you start

Plan for about 16 hours, mostly hands-off: roughly 1 hour heating and cooling, 8 to 10 hours culturing, 3 hours chilling, and 2 to 4 hours straining. Starting in the evening works well.
Use pasteurized whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized (UHT), which often sets poorly. Ultra-pasteurized milk can work if you heat it as directed, but results vary.
Choose a plain yogurt starter with 'live and active cultures' and no added thickeners or sweeteners. Use one that is fresh, within its date.
Wash all pots, whisks, jars and spoons in hot soapy water and rinse well so unwanted bacteria don't compete with the culture.
Take the starter yogurt out of the fridge when you start heating the milk so it isn't ice-cold when added.

1
Sanitize your equipment
- Wash the pot, whisk, spatula, small bowl, jar and thermometer in hot soapy water, then rinse well.
- Pour boiling water over the jar and whisk, or run them through a hot dishwasher cycle, and let them drain.
- Set the starter yogurt on the counter.
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Ready when: Everything is clean and hot to the touch or freshly rinsed.
Tip: Don't dry with a dish towel, which can reintroduce bacteria. Let items air-dry.
2
Heat the milk
- Pour the 2 quarts (1.9 L) milk into the 4-quart pot.
- Warm over medium heat, stirring gently every minute or two with the spatula and scraping the bottom, until the thermometer reads 180°F (82°C).
- This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Small bubbles will form at the edges and the surface will steam.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 180°F (82°C) with steam rising and small bubbles at the edge, but no full boil.
Tip: Don't walk away. Milk scorches on the bottom and boils over quickly. Heating to 180°F changes the milk proteins so the yogurt sets thicker.
3
Cool the milk
- Remove the pot from the heat and take off any skin with a spoon if you like.
- Let the milk cool, stirring occasionally, until it reads 110°F (43°C).
- This takes 30 to 45 minutes.
- For faster cooling, set the pot in a sink with a few inches of cold water and stir.
- Don't go below 105°F (40°C).
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 110°F (43°C); a drop on your wrist feels comfortably warm, not hot.
Tip: Milk hotter than 115°F (46°C) kills the cultures and the yogurt won't set.
4
Add the starter
- Put the 3 tablespoons (45 g) starter in the small bowl.
- Whisk in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the warm milk until completely smooth.
- Pour this mixture back into the pot and stir gently for 30 seconds to blend evenly.
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Ready when: No lumps of starter remain and the milk looks uniform.
Tip: Tempering the starter in a little milk first prevents clumps.
5
Culture until set
- Pour the milk into the clean 2-quart jar (or two 1-quart jars) and cover with the lid.
- Wrap the jar in a towel and set it in a cooler.
- Fill the gaps around it with a little 110°F (43°C) water, then close the cooler.
- Keep the yogurt at 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C) and undisturbed for 8 to 10 hours.
- Don't stir or jostle it.
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Ready when: Yogurt jiggles as one mass when the jar is tilted, with a clean break and a little clear yellowish whey on top; it smells pleasantly tangy.
Tip: Longer culturing, up to 12 hours, gives tangier yogurt. If still liquid at 12 hours, your starter or temperature was likely off.
6
Chill the yogurt
- Refrigerate the set yogurt, still covered and undisturbed, for at least 3 hours.
- Chilling firms the curd so it strains cleanly and stops the fermentation.
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Ready when: Yogurt is cold throughout and noticeably firmer.
Tip: You can skip chilling in a pinch, but warm yogurt is looser and may pass through the cloth.
7
Set up the strainer
- Set the sieve over the large bowl.
- Line it with the doubled cheesecloth, rinsed in hot water and wrung out, leaving extra cloth hanging over the sides.
- Make sure the bottom of the sieve sits at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) above the bottom of the bowl.
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Ready when: Cloth is snug against the sieve with overhang on all sides.
Tip: If the sieve touches the whey, the yogurt can't drain properly.
8
Strain to thickness
- Gently spoon the chilled yogurt into the lined sieve.
- Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Strain for 2 hours for a thick, spoonable yogurt, or 4 hours for a very thick, almost cream-cheese texture.
- Check at 2 hours, pour off the whey if the bowl is filling, and stir the yogurt at the edges toward the center once.
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Ready when: Yogurt holds a soft peak on a spoon and no longer drips steadily; about 3 cups (700 g) remain after 2 to 3 hours.
Tip: Save the whey for smoothies, bread dough or soup; it keeps a week in the fridge.
9
Store and serve
- Scrape the strained yogurt into a clean airtight container, whisking briefly with a spoon for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Thin with a splash of whey if it's thicker than you like.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons (45 g) as starter for your next batch if you wish.
- Serve cold.
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Ready when: Yogurt looks smooth, glossy and spoonable.
Tip: Use saved starter within 7 days for best results.

Good to know

Tips

A reliable thermometer matters most: heat to 180°F (82°C), cool to 110°F (43°C), and keep culturing at about 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C).
Don't disturb the jar while it sets; moving it can break the curd and make the yogurt runny or grainy.
For extra-thick labneh-style yogurt, strain 8 to 12 hours in the fridge and season with a pinch of salt.
Starter from your own batch works for several generations, but start fresh with store-bought yogurt after 4 to 5 batches if the flavor weakens.

Make ahead

Culture the yogurt up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it unstrained for up to 5 days, then strain the amount you need a few hours before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days; stir in any liquid that separates. Not recommended at room temperature beyond 2 hours. Freezing is possible for up to 2 months, but the texture becomes grainy, so thaw overnight in the fridge, stir well, and use in smoothies, dips or baking.

Substitutions

plain yogurt with live and active cultures → 1 packet freeze-dried yogurt starter culture. Follow the packet directions for the amount per 2 quarts; usually reliable and good for making many batches.
cheesecloth → nut milk bag, clean thin cotton tea towel, or coffee filter in a sieve. A tight-weave cloth needs longer straining; coffee filters work but clog easily.
whole milk → 2% milk. Gives a lighter, less creamy yogurt; skim milk produces a chalkier, less rich result.